Upright checkers and chess game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus particularly for checkers and chess is constructed to allow movement of the game pieces in a vertical plane while providing horizontal supporting surfaces therefor. Two or four people may play the game utilizing one or both sides of an upright game board. The apparatus is readily knocked down for convenient packaging and shipment and features detachable game piece support members or shelves.

United States Patent [191 Kolwicz 1 UPRIGHT CHECKERS AND CHESS GAME APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Stanley J. Kolwicz, 16 Sanford Ave.,

Emerson, NJ. 07630 1 Notice: The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Dec. 25, 1990, has been disclaimed.

[22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 426,565

Related US. Application Data 1 1 Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 268,887, July 3,

1972, Pat. N0. 3,781,014.

[52] US. Cl. 273/131 AC [51 1 Int. Cl. A63f 3/02 [58] Field of Search 273/130 R, 130 A, 130 AB, 273/130 AC, 130 B, 131, 136 R, 136 A, 136

B, 136 C, 136 D, 136 E, 136 F [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 868,209 10/1907 Muller 273/136 E 51 *Sept. 9, 1975 1,119,870 12/1914 Pettit 273/136 C 2,418,287 4/1947 Bennett ct a1, 273/136 E 3,506,267 4/1970 Taillie 273/130 B 3,623,729 11/1971 Wctherell.... 273/130 R 3,664,671 5/1972 Davis 273/131 AC 3,674,272 7/1972 Wszalek... 273/130 A 3.781014 12/1973 Kolwicz 273/131 AC Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerR. T. Stouffer Attorney, Agent, or FirmBrady, OBoyle & Gates 5? ABSTRACT A game apparatus particularly for checkers and chess is constructed to allow movement of the game pieces in a vertical plane while providing horizontal support' ing surfaces therefor. Two or four people may play the game utilizing one or both sides of an upright game board. The apparatus is readily knocked down for convenient packaging and shipment and features de tachable game piece support members or shelves.

10 Claims, 1] Drawing Figures PATENTED 35? 91975 sum 1 n5 2 PATENTEB SEP 9 3975 saw 2 0f 2 UPRIGHT CHECKERS AND CHESS GAME APPARATUS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 268,887 July 3, 1972,

now U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,014, issued Dec. 25, 1973.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the invention is to provide an attractive and economical game apparatus particularly for checkers and chess which will render the playing of these games more challenging and interesting than is the case when conventional horizontal game boards are employed. The invention game board is arranged vertically during use and is constructed to provide the traditional checkerboard pattern, with every square of the playing field formed by a through opening in the board. Separable horizontal shelf elements are positioned in the through openings of the vertical board so as to provide level support surfaces for checkers or ehessmen. The shelf elements extend beyond opposite sides of the game board so that the games may be played on opposite sides of the apparatus simultaneously.

An important feature of the invention resides in its completely knock-down structure to facilitate packaging, shipment and storage. The construction is such that the games played are rendered more challenging and interesting without inconvenience to the players since the game pieces are held on level supports which are readily accessible from either side of the apparatus.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following de scription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. I is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a detachable shelf or platform element and a fragmentary portion of the associated game board;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross section view taken through one of the game piece supporting shelf elements assembled with the game board;

FIG. 6 is a similar fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of shelf element;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified connection between a shelf element and the game board;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the game board depicted in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a modified shelf element;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view ofa further modified form of shelf element and its connection in cantilevered manner in a through opening in the game board; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side elevation view, partly in section, showing the connection of shelf element of FIG. 10 with the game board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts, and referring first to FIGS.

I through 5, the numeral 20 designates a game board of rectangular form made from a fiat section of plastic, pressed fiberboard, or some similar suitable material of appropriate thickness and rigidity. The game board 20 or panel body is constructed particularly for playing checkers or chess in a vertical plane, as distinguished from the customary horizontal game board or table. The playing field or pattern on the opposite faces of the board 20 is conventional for checkers and chess and generally comprises the well-known right angular intersecting rows of alternating colored squares. In conventional checker and chess boards, the playing squares of each vertical or horizontal row are alternately provided with contrasting colors, such as red and black, to define the field of play. While the same basic pattern is present on the vertical game board 20, the alternating colored squares in the plane of the game board are eliminated and instead thereof each of the playing squares or rectangles on the board in both the vertical and horizontal rows are formed by rectangular through openings 21 in the board. The through openings 21 receive the game pieces and the horizontal support elements for the pieces.

In order to provide level supporting surfaces for checkers or ehessmen on the board while the game movements are being made in a vertical plane, a plural ity of readily separable shelf or platform elements 24 are provided, one for each through opening 21. These shelf elements are approximately rectangular and when assembled on the board 20 are disposed at right angles to the plane of the board and project equidistantly beyond the opposite faces thereof, which faces are identical to allow playing of the games on either or both sides of the apparatus. The shelf or platform elements 24 of each row or column of shelves are alternately provided with contrasting colors, such as red and black, black and white, etc. to define the traditional checkerboard and chess board field. This is indicated in the drawings by the alternately shaded and non-shaded shelf elements 24. A game playing piece in the form of a chessman is shown at 23 in FIG. 1 to illustrate how the shelf elements 24 support the playing pieces during a game. Each shelf element 24 has a pair of spaced parallel bars 25 secured to its lower face and forming a clip structure to snugly engage over the lower edge or margin 26 of each through opening 21. This arrangement forms a stable mounting for the element 24 and renders it easily removable from the game board.

FIG. 6 shows a slight modification of the apparatus wherein the game piece support or shelf element 24' has integral spaced bars 25' formed thereon for the same purpose as the separately formed elements 25 in FIG. 5. The construction in FIG. 6 is more suitable where the apparatus is molded from plastic or the like.

To conveniently support the game board 20 in the vertical use position, an elongated base member 27 is provided having a longitudinal groove 28 in its top face to receive the lower edge of the board 20 detachably and firmly. The base member 27, in turn, is supported on a pair of transversely extending feet 29 having locator grooves 30 for the base member 27, as shown. The feet 29 are readily separable from the base member so that the entire structure can be knocked down quickly for placement in a flat compact package or box. This is both convenient and economical.

FIGS. 7 and 8 depict a modification of the game piece supporting structure wherein each through opening 21 of the board 20 is provided at one lower corner with a notch 31 adapted to receive one edge portion of a shelf element 24 or 24'. This feature further stabilizes the elements 24 and 24' against twisting or tilting while assembled with the board 20, and when this feature is utilized the width of the elements 24 or 24' are slightly greater than the width of the through opening 2].

FIG. 9 shows a modification wherein each shelf element 24a is provided in one edge with a notch 32 adapted to straddle one vertical edge of the opening 21 for the same general purpose as the locking arrangement shown at 31 in FIGS. 7 and 8. For convenience in assembling the elements 240, their side edges having the notches 32 may be angled slightly as shown at 33. The supporting surfaces of the shelf elements shown in FIGS. 7-9 are slightly wider than the openings 21 into which they fit.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a further modified form of game piece support or shelf element 24b which can be used with the same game board when the game apparatus is intended for use by two players positioned on the same side of the board 20 rather than on opposite sides. The shelf element 24b is a cantilevered shelf having preferably integral spaced bars 25" formed on one end thereof to snugly engage over the lower edge or margin 26 of each through opening 21 to support the shelf element 24b cantilevered to one side of the board 20. With this arrangement all of the shelf elements 24b extend out from only one side of the board 20 and the lengths of the transversely extending feet 29 on opposite sides of the board are adjusted accordingly to compensate for the weight of the shelves 24b and game pieces all being on one side of the board to thus provide a stable game apparatus.

During use of the apparatus, the games of checkers or chess are played in the traditional manner except that the plays or moves are performed in a vertical plane, either up and down or from side to side, instead of on a horizontal surface. This tends to make the game more interesting and challenging. The player pieces are supported with stability on the level elements 24, as indicated for example at 23, and are moved from shelfto-shelf in the playing of the game. The game board is equally accessible on each side and therefore may be utilized by two or four players simultaneously. It is believed that the use of the apparatus is completely clear in light of the above description.

Another feature, not shown in the drawings, may be incorporated in the apparatus, namely, the provision of a storage compartment for game pieces. For example, the base member 27 can be formed hollow and sufficiently large to receive a set of checkers or chessmen. A suitable drawer or closure may be provided on the base member 27.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

1 claim:

l. A game apparatus comprising a checker type game board for use in an upright position, said game board having a checkerboard pattern on both faces thereof formed by vertical and horizontal intersecting rows of checkerboard rectangles, all rectangles in said rows formed by through openings in the board, horizontal game piece support elements detachably mountable upon the board at the bottom edges of all of said through openings and projecting beyond at least one of the opposite vertical faces of the board substantially at right angles to such faces, and supporting base means for the board holding it in an upright use position.

2. The structure of claim 1, and said horizontal game piece support elements comprising flat plate-like shelf elements, and clip means on the bottoms of the support elements adapted to receive the lower marginal edges of said board through openings.

3. The structure of claim 2, and said clip means comprising a pair of spaced parallel bars on the bottom of each support element.

4. The structure of claim 1, and said supporting base means being readily separable from the game board and including a grooved member detachably receiving the lower edge of the board when the latter is in the upright use position, whereby the apparatus may be knocked down into a compact form for packaging.

5. The structure of claim 1, and said horizontal game piece support elements projecting substantially equidistantly beyond the opposite vertical faces of said board substantially at right angles to such faces, and including clip means on the bottoms of the support elements adapted to receive the lower marginal edges of said board through openings.

6. The structure of claim 5, and interlocking means between one marginal edge portion of each support element and the adjacent vertical edge of one of said through openings.

7. The structure of claim 6, and said interlocking means comprising a notch in said adjacent vertical edge receiving one edge portion of the support element.

8. The structure of claim 6, and said interlocking means comprising a notch in one edge of each support element adapted to receive a vertical edge portion of one of said board through openings.

9. The structure of claim 1, and said through openings being substantially rectangular openings and said horizontal game piece support elements being approximately rectangular horizontal plate elements having approximately the same dimensions as the through openings and spanning substantially the entire widths of the openings at their bottom edges, said support elements projecting sufficiently far beyond the opposite faces of the game board to support game pieces simultaneously in game playing relationship on the opposite sides of said board.

10. The structure of claim 2, and said clip means connected on one end of said flat plate-like shelf elements whereby the flat plate-like shelf elements in all of said through openings are cantilevered from the same vertical face of said board. 

1. A game apparatus comprising a checker type game board for use in an upright position, said game board having a checkerboard pattern on both faces thereof formed by vertical and horizontal intersecting rows of checkerboard rectangles, all rectangles in said rows formed by through openings in the board, horizontal game piece support elements detachably mountable upon the board at the bottom edges of all of said through openings and projecting beyond at least one of the opposite vertical faces of the board substantially at right angles to such faces, and supporting base means for the board holding it in an upright use position.
 2. The structure of claim 1, and said horizontal game piece support elements comprising flat plate-like shelf elements, and clip means on the bottoms of the support elements adapted to receive the lower marginal edges of said board through openings.
 3. The structure of claim 2, and said clip means comprising a pair of spaced parallel bars on the bottom of each support element.
 4. The structure of claim 1, and said supporting base means being readily separable from the game board and inclUding a grooved member detachably receiving the lower edge of the board when the latter is in the upright use position, whereby the apparatus may be knocked down into a compact form for packaging.
 5. The structure of claim 1, and said horizontal game piece support elements projecting substantially equidistantly beyond the opposite vertical faces of said board substantially at right angles to such faces, and including clip means on the bottoms of the support elements adapted to receive the lower marginal edges of said board through openings.
 6. The structure of claim 5, and interlocking means between one marginal edge portion of each support element and the adjacent vertical edge of one of said through openings.
 7. The structure of claim 6, and said interlocking means comprising a notch in said adjacent vertical edge receiving one edge portion of the support element.
 8. The structure of claim 6, and said interlocking means comprising a notch in one edge of each support element adapted to receive a vertical edge portion of one of said board through openings.
 9. The structure of claim 1, and said through openings being substantially rectangular openings and said horizontal game piece support elements being approximately rectangular horizontal plate elements having approximately the same dimensions as the through openings and spanning substantially the entire widths of the openings at their bottom edges, said support elements projecting sufficiently far beyond the opposite faces of the game board to support game pieces simultaneously in game playing relationship on the opposite sides of said board.
 10. The structure of claim 2, and said clip means connected on one end of said flat plate-like shelf elements whereby the flat plate-like shelf elements in all of said through openings are cantilevered from the same vertical face of said board. 